The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Safe Harbor Inc. $749,730 on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589), a Project Grant with performance through September 30, 2028.

Safe Harbor Inc., a tax-exempt domestic violence shelter organization, delivers victim services and advocacy for child, youth, and adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural Montana communities, particularly on the Flathead Reservation and surrounding areas. The award funds work performed in partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Police Department in Ronan, Montana. The Rural Program supports strategies including cooperative law enforcement and prosecution efforts; treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and victim services; community-based education and prevention; sexual assault program development; and services targeting residents of remote rural and geographically isolated areas.

Safe Harbor Inc. currently holds two active Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women grants, including a concurrent Legal Assistance for Victims award. The organization has received multiple sub-awards from state-level prime grantees supporting domestic violence shelter services, victim advocacy and counseling for sexual assault survivors, and victim services programs.

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. Through this continuation OVW rural program project, safe harbor INC, in partnership with the confederated salish and kootenai tribal police department, city of ronan police department, city of ST. Ignatius police department, city of hot springs police department, lake county sheriffs department, city of polson police department, ST. Luke hospital, providence ST. Joseph medical center, salish kootenai college center for prevention and wellness, and the lake county attorneys office, will implement the circle of safety: collaboration and community project. This victim services project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, 3, and 4 for lake county, the flathead reservation, and the towns of polson, ronan, charlo, arlee, pablo, elmo, dixon, hot springs, and ST. Ignatius in montana. Specific activities will include: 1) providing weekly womens support groups for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking; and a childrens group in conjunction with the womens support group, and a batterer intervention program for offenders to support greater accountability; 2) providing direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking at the tribal college; with outreach services, education programs, and placement of a campus advocate, as well as quarterly prevention programming with the salish kootenai college center for prevention and wellness; 3) providing direct services, shelter, victim advocacy, and legal assistance to victims and their families from the flathead reservation and lake county; 4) providing prevention services through creation and delivery of annual public awareness campaign; by hosting monthly resource round table meetings; with educational presentations youth and community members; by partnering with the lake county drug court program; through outreach to outlying towns, and in the facilitation of sane training for 10 registered nurses with local hospitals; and 5) maintaining a coordinated community response team for the flathead reservation and lake county, including connecting partners, leading meetings, and setting guidelines, action steps, and hosting up to four annual trainings for project partners. During the project, the recipient will develop the following products: brochures, outreach flyers, awareness campaign materials, and educational presentations.